cncfandomcom-20200223-history
Sirte
Sirte (also spelled Sirt, Surt, Sert or Syrte) is a city in Libya. It is on the south coast of the Gulf of Sidra (ancient Syrtis Major, from which Sirte's name is derived). Sirte lies halfway between Tripoli and Benghazi. History In 1842 the Ottomans built a fortress at Marsat al Zaafran ("saffron harbour") which became known as Qasr al Zaafran ("saffron castle), and later as Qasr Sert. It was around this fortification, which was taken over and repaired by the Italians in 1912, that the settlement of Sirte grew up. Sirte served as an administrative centre under Italian rule. During the North African Campaign of the Second World War there were no noteworthy events in this location, which was characterised at the time as "a shabby little Arab village of mud huts, clustered on the banks of a foul-smelling stream." The village grew into a prominent town after the Second World War for two reasons – the discovery and exploitation of oil nearby and the birth of Muammar Gaddafi in 1942 in a tent at Qasr Abu Hadi, some 20 kilometres (12 mi) south of Sirte. He was sent to the primary school at Sirte at the age of ten. After seizing power in 1969, Gaddafi transformed Sirte into a showcase of his self-proclaimed revolution, carrying out an extensive programme of public works to expand the former village into a small city. After 1988, most government departments and the Libyan parliament were relocated from Tripoli to Sirte, although Tripoli remained formally the capital of the country. Al-Tahadi University was established in 1991. In a radio address on 1 September 2011, Gaddafi declared Sirte the new capital of the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, replacing the former capital Tripoli, which had been captured by rebels. Anti-Gaddafi forces surrounded the city during September 2011 and began a long, difficult battle there, hoping to bring the war to an end. On 20 October, after suffering massive casualties during a siege that lasted over a month, NTC fighters mounted a major offensive and took control of the last remaining district of Sirte that was in the hands of regime loyalists. Muammar Gaddafi attempted to flee the city, but he was injured and captured by fighters. He was killed in custody less than an hour later. During the battle, Sirte was left almost completely in ruins, with many buildings totally destroyed or damaged. Tiberium Universe Second Tiberium War After his escape (courtesy of Oxanna Kristos and her men) from General Hassan's custody in Egypt, where he was supposed to be executed as part of Today's Execution, Anton Slavik acting on CABAL's advice fled to a Black Hand base near here. A force of Hassan's elite guard which had been sent to pursue Anton Slavik and arrange for his disappearance along with Oxanna Kristos found themselves unexpectadly outmatched by the base's defenses. Constructing a Tiberium Refinery and assembling a force of soldiers ablait only with basic weaponry, Anton Slavik was able to defeat Hassan's guards and wipe them all out, beginning the First Nod Reunification War. Following his victory, Anton Slavik's forces moved into Sirte and established a rebel Nod military zone over the city and the surrounding area. It was from Sirte that he incited his rebellion against General Hassan's rule, a rebellion that would soon spread throughout Nod controlled North Africa and the Middle East. Like Benghazi, during their invasion of Libya, Nod control over Sirte was disputed by GDI forces but they were unable to establish control of the area. Category:Tiberian Sun locations